Heat Pumps: World's First LEED Net Zero Home - buildaroo.com

Paul Rosen, the owner of this LEED home, talks about the sustainable heating and cooling of this home. This home is heated using an outdoor heat pump manufactured by Bryant. Paul explains that a heat pump is an air conditioner that can reverse its cycle, and instead of supplying the house with air that's cool, it can supply the house with air that's hot. These heat pumps were installed on the south side of the home so that based on the sun's movements, they are in the bright sun in the winter and they are in the shade in the summer. According to Paul, these heat pumps are 20% more efficient at heating when they are located in the sun. Paul explains that heat travels in 3 ways: radiant heat, conductive and convective. The reason these pumps are more effective when in the sun is because a radiant heat effect is created that would not be there otherwise. Paul Rosen, the owner of this LEED home, talks about the sustainable heating and cooling of this home. This home is heated using an outdoor heat pump manufactured by Bryant. Paul explains that a heat pump is an air conditioner that can reverse its cycle, and instead of supplying the house with air that's cool, it can supply the house with air that's hot. These heat pumps were installed on the south side of the home so that based on the sun's movements, they are in the bright sun in the winter and they are in the shade in the summer. According to Paul, these heat pumps are 20% more efficient at heating when they are located in the sun. Paul explains that heat travels in 3 ways: radiant heat, conductive and convective. The reason these pumps are more effective when in the sun is because a radiant heat effect is created that would not be there otherwise.

With all this heat pumping, how can this home be a Net Zero home? The almost non-existent heating bill is the result of the photovoltaic (PV) panels that generate the electricity necessary to power the heat pump. These PV panels also generate extra electricity during certain months that feed into the grid, and the home takes back what it needs during the cool nights in the winter.

In addition to using a heat pump to heat and cool the home, the home has a Radco storage tank and heat exchanger to supply the home's hot water. This water is heated through the home's Solar Thermal panels.

About the speaker: Paul Rosen is a sustainability consultant and founder of North Bay Energy.

[hanky]

The same way a propane refrigerator works in a RV. Heat the condenser (outside coil) with a flame burning propane and the evaporator (inside coil) gets cold.

[mfields]

how would you "cool" with natural gas?